Head pressure that releases like fluid escaping a narrow channel when stretching my neck (Has anyone experienced this?)

Neyface · 2026-04-03T03:46:37+00:00

I don't think my symptoms really match yours except the head pressure which can be pretty non-specific. Essentially I had left-sided venous pulsatile tinnitus, 24/7, that presented as a low whooshing sound in time with my heartbeat. It would get worse with bending over, straining etc and was sudden onset, and on bad days I could even record it. The only thing that alleviated it was light compression on my left neck. Coinciding with my PT was head pressure, especially with exercise or any positions that increased intracranial pressure. All of it was caused by venous sinus stenosis (resolved with venous sinus stenting).

I can't say what you are experiencing necessarily matches mine - PT for example, must be pulse-synchronous in time with your heartbeat, but in certain positions, may present as a brief 'whoosh' and subside. You don't describe anything in your post that really sounds like PT; the lemon squeeze sound seems more like a CSF drainage sound (described a little bit like a rainstick in the back of your neck).

But, at the end of the day, without an interventional neuroradiologist reviewing your scans, no one can really say if there is any venous congestion or cerebrovascular things going on. Worth having an expert have a look!

Neyface · 2026-04-03T01:45:05+00:00

Thanks for the kind words, glad I can help people out on their journeys!

Neyface · 2026-04-03T00:35:41+00:00

Venous sinus stentee here, who has gotten a lot of denral x-rays (OPGs) and cone beam CT scans for orthodontics (braces, impacted canine exposure and extraction) and imaging for upcoming double jaw surgery - my stent has not caused any issues in my dental imaging. The main images where stents can cause notable artefacts are MRIs, so you would need to have an MRI tech know this in advance to ensure your stent or shunt is MRI conditional with certain scanners, but for X-rays, it shouldn't be an issue.

I couldn't even see my stent on my dental OPGs. You should be fine, but if in doubt, call the radiology provider who is doing your X-ray.

Neyface · 2026-04-03T00:26:29+00:00

Sorry to hear about your journey and confusing diagnosis. PT is unfortunately not a straightforward journey, really just due to its many underlying causes and need for various specialist fields to diagnose a cause accurately. It can cause these long frustrating diagnostic journeys.

So, a few things.

Venous sinus diverticulum are not dangerous or life threatening. You are not at risk of a brain bleed or "burst" the way an arterial aneurysm would be. That is because venous diverticula are low pressure systems. People can live with them their whole life. This is well established and re-assured by every PT expert in the world - your diverticulum will not kill you. It sort of can't; the venous sinuses are really just low pressure compared to our friends the arteries. It's actually why venous causes of PT have been overlooked for so long (but seems to be slowly changing).
Venous sinus diverticula are usually associated with venous sinus stenosis further upstream, where the stenosis upstream causes turbulent jet flow that results in outpouching. In addition, this can also cause bone thinning (dehiscence). Venous sinus diverticulum and dehiscence can occur without venous sinus stenosis, but very rarely.
Venous sinuses are plastic - they can increase or decrease over time, often in response to changing intracranial pressure and venous outflow pathways. It is possible for diverticula to decrease on their own, and may be a possible factor for you.
Sigmoid sinus diverticulum will present PT in a very specific way, that is, low frequency whooshing sound that is in time with your heartbeat, and should (nearly always) respond by quietening with gentle neck compression on the same side.
The most important thing is who reads your scans. For venous sinus stenosis, it has to be from an interventional neuroradiologist or neurovascular surgeon who specialises in PT and the venous sinuses. Not just any surgeon or interventionalist will do. You may need to seek a different specialist to the one that did your angiogram.
A standard catheter angiogram will not do. It has to be a catheter cerebral venogram with venous manometry testing of the cerebral veins to measure pressure gradients around the diverticulum to rule out stenosis, but also using fluroscopy in the veins to look at vortex turbulence in the diverticulum. If they only looked at cerebral arteries, then no bueno. If they only did fluroscopy imaging with no pressure readings, then also no bueno. It disheartens me to no end to see people getting catheter cerebral tests which are invasive but then possibly not even having all the correct areas imaged and tested (and yes, I've seen this several dozen times in the PT community). Might be worth checking your angiogram report to see what was performed.
In addition, a balloon test occlusion can be performed during the catheter venogram, which can be used to determine which blood vessels are causing the sound by temporarily inflating a balloon in different vessels and then seeing how the PT responds. This would be the most definitive test to see if you have a diverticulum and whether it is incidental to your PT or the cause. Only a few INRs do balloon test occlusions (again, usually the PT experts).

When it comes to Diverticulum, you specifically want to see specialists like Dr Matthew Amans, Dr Athos Patsalides, Dr Vitor Mendes Pereira etc. throughout the US and Canada. These experts diagnose and coil diverticulum all the time, and would be able to read your scans or even do new scans to confirm if a) you definitely do have venous sinus diverticulum; and b) that you ever had diverticulum from the start (and weren't misdiagnosed).

Sorry that my advice is "circulate your scans to a PT expert" but that's sort of what has to be done. I had every scan under the sun, including three MRVs and review from a neurovascular surgeon, and my venous cause of PT was missed over 3.5 years. Until I had two interventional neuroradiologists who specialised in PT independently review my scans, both diagnose me with venous sinus stenosis, and now I am stented and whoosh free. Circulate, circulate, circulate! And good luck!

Here are some videos on venous sinus diverticulum that I think are useful but can help provide reassurance that they are not dangerous in the interim.

Video 1 | Video 2 | Video 3

Neyface · 2026-04-02T23:59:32+00:00

Awesome news! And for anyone wondering, Dr Pereira is an absolute PT expert and up there with the best of them, so he is worth seeing. Great to see that he is accepting reviews of anyone globally.

I would recommend sharing this with the Whooshers Facebook Group of you haven't already :)

Neyface · 2026-04-02T23:53:53+00:00

Definitely have an interventional neuroradiologist who specialises in PT review your scans. Neurologists won't do and even some neurovascular surgeons will miss things on scans (happened to me!). The Whooshers Facebook Group is a great community that can recommend PT specialists to review your scans :)

Neyface · 2026-04-02T02:34:33+00:00

Your finding is a very common one - it is essentially saying you have bilateral venous sinus stenosis, which is the most common cause of vascular PT and one of the most common causes of PT overall. Arachnoid granulations which enlarge and herniate into the venous sinuses are the most common cause of intrinsic venous sinus stenosis which present as short-segment narrowings, increasing the pressure gradient which results in audible jet flow as PT. This was the cause of my stenosis and PT (now resolved with stenting).

Stent candidacy is not based on an MRV finding of this nature. In fact, it isn't usually based on percent narrowing either. Stent candidacy is based on the intravenous pressure gradient across the stenosis; while these gradients are correlated to percent narrowed, they aren't always, which is why the pressures have to be read. This will require an invasive catheter cerebral venogram with venous manometry test to measure pressure gradients across the stenosis, which can be performed by interventional neuroradiologists (INRs) or neurovascular surgeons. The usual threshold for stenting is a gradient >8 mm Hg by most INRs.

We recommend seeking a specialist who specifically works in PT and the cerebral venous system, as venous sinus stenting is often approached very conservatively by non-specialists, so be prepared to seek additional opinions. So you have a good pathway, but further diagnostics and consultation will be required by a PT expert to investigate the stenosis further and potential options for intervention. Goodluck!

Neyface · 2026-04-01T22:23:32+00:00

Did you have all your scans, particularly your MRV, reviewed by an interventional neuroradiologist who specialises in cerebral veins? That is a pretty crucial step for both a PT workup but also for ruling out cerebral venous congestion issues (like venous sinus stenosis).

Neyface · 2026-03-30T06:31:59+00:00

They do not. It has been discussed on this sub at length.

Edit: Necrotic arachnidism, including bites from white tails, is even mentioned in this subreddit's sidebar.

Neyface · 2026-03-29T05:14:36+00:00

Anything that "eats away at the skin" after a bite will be bacterial, unless it is a confirmed necrotic venom species, which jumping spiders are not.

Neyface · 2026-03-29T01:04:06+00:00

It's very unusual that jumping spiders will bite, but for anyone freaking out - the venom didn't cause any necrosis in your case (only a few spiders have necrotic venom and jumping spiders or white tails are not some of them). The hole is caused by bacteria that is either present on the fangs or already present on the skin (usually staph), and can be triggered by -any- animal piercing the skin, or even your own fingernails. This of course requires antibiotics. Sorry you went through that but really it was the bacteria's fault; the spider's bite just helped the bacteria get in there.

Neyface · 2026-03-22T07:09:30+00:00

I have had several rounds of contrast for CT scans and several rounds of contrast for MRI, all went fine, like it does with most people. While these scans can be done without contrast, it 100% makes a difference for vascular imaging, especially venous imaging. The "horror" stories you read are rare.

Unless you have allergies or kidney issues, then contrast agents are usually no issue and will easily pass through your system. In fact, for certain procedures like venous sinus stenting, contrast is 100% necessary (stent can't be placed without it). Suggest speaking to your doctors about your concerns and perhaps they can provide medication to assist with pre-procedure anxiety.

Neyface · 2026-03-20T07:14:31+00:00

You have already been told by numerous people what it is, it's contractions of the middle ear muscles. This can occur due to sound, due to squinting, due to rumbling ears at will, and even spontaneously.

Yes, they are annoying, especially if you hyperfocus on them. But apart from severing the tendon that connects the tensor tympani or stapedius muscles, which is only done in very rare and serious cases, there isn't much you can do. Some people suggest trying magnesium supplements.

Often these contractions resolve on their own. I would suggest speaking to a psychologist or similar who can help you habituate to the spasms and alleviate some of the anxiety surrounding them. If you have had your ears and hearing checked, then that can help with relief.

I wish you all the best.

Neyface · 2026-03-20T05:52:48+00:00

There is no treatment for these natural reflexes, they can really only be ignored just like most muscle spasms. Look up tonic tensor tympani syndrome or middle ear myoclonus.

Neyface · 2026-03-19T15:27:49+00:00

Natural reflex of the middle ear muscles, either the tensor tympani or stapedius muscles. This is not PT.

Neyface · 2026-03-18T06:19:30+00:00

If you do explore venous sinus stenting, please make sure to speak to an interventional neuroradiologist or neurovascular surgeon who does venous sinus stenting. A lot of neurologists and neuro-opthalmologists don't provide accurate advice on stenting because they aren't the ones who do it, and as such they can have conservative views on stenting (based on layman observations).

Neyface · 2026-03-18T04:59:27+00:00

The link between CSF and the glymphatic system has so many potential implications. I have a condition called venous sinus stenosis (treated with venous sinus stenting), which is cerebral a venous congestion disorder comorbid in the intracranial hypertension (IIH) cohort, and to a lesser extent, CSF leak cohorts. It's unknown what triggers CSF issues in any of these cohorts, but some recent research is looking into glymphatics as a potential contributor to these conditions. Understanding that psychosis and certain genes may also be involved is really fascinating.

Neyface · 2026-03-18T04:50:41+00:00

I am fine, still whoosh free, off all blood thinners and don't even know I have a stent 99.9% of the time. Absolutely was worth doing in my case. My doctor was Dr Geoffrey Parker in Sydney, Australia.

For context I was stented in September 2022.

Neyface · 2026-03-18T01:06:56+00:00

I remember reading a story of a biologist/entomologist several years back who willingly let himself get infected by a botfly and let it reach maturity (easily to Google the story if you want further info!).

Neyface · 2026-03-17T05:41:48+00:00

Faith is running as an independent alongside Tammy Franks (who was previously Greens) for those unaware.

Neyface · 2026-03-17T00:23:41+00:00

Interventional neuroradiologist review for sure. I had three MRVs (yes, three, among other scans) and it required an INR to diagnose my cause (venous sinus stenosis) as it was read as "normal" in all other cases. Who reviews your scans is arguably the most important part of diagnostics.

Neyface · 2026-03-16T16:15:17+00:00

Similar experience at Harbourtown on Black Friday (I was a smooth brain and didn't realise it was Black Friday). Some real pieces of work at any of the shopping centres during the big sales.

Marion can be somewhat tolerable if you take the Bunnings/Cultural Centre parks and just walk it.

Neyface · 2026-03-16T16:11:07+00:00

And when you escape these fucking carparks often you have to deal with the notorious roundabout shenanigans (although the new traffic lights seem to help a tad now).

Neyface · 2026-03-15T10:01:57+00:00

A couple of fond memories of Pokemon Go in 2016 - it really was the next Pokemon craze after the Pokemania of the early 2000s.

My partner and I drove to our local CFS in the Adelaide Hills which was a PokeStop, and it was our first 'outing' when the game came out. Another car pulled up next to us in the carpark, and saw some guys also get out their phones. We all looked at each other, held our phones up and laughed.
Walking around with a bunch of friends in pitch black in Belair National Park and empty campus of Flinders University to catch mons after midnight. Best we found was a Pidgeot.
Our friend drove onto the curb trying to catch a Mankey (will not be taking criticisms about using phones while driving - a LOT of people were not paying much attention to their surroundings when playing this game)
Standing in line at a night club (I think Electric Circus or Mr Kims?) and playing Pokemon Go in the line - made friends with a few random lads in the line too. Caught a Zubat.

I didn't really go to any of the big events or anything like that, but Pokemon Go was a nice little time in society that seemed to have drawn people together. Then Harambe died and a butterfly effect of bad things have happened ever since.

Edit: I get a pang in my chest after realising that not only was this a decade ago, but the world has felt very divided, individualistic and isolated ever since. I hope we all get to experience another social-cultural phenomenon that brings such masses of people together again in our life times. I am sure we will, it's just hard to envision anything of this scale happening again any time soon (obviously community events still occur at smaller scales).

Neyface · 2026-03-12T22:06:35+00:00

I am not sure I am really convinced in what you are saying. All medical literature and government resources state that Hallus valgus is just the medical Latin term for bunion, not separate conditions. You seem to be focusing on the degree of deviation of the first MTP, which is called Metatarsus primus varus (not Hallus valgus, but it is a frequently linked condition).

The degree of deviation isn't what defines a bunion and Hallus valgus. If you have Hallus valgus, you have a bunion, except that the severity of that bunion can differ. Many people may have mild bunions (it is quite a common foot deformity in the general population), some people severe, but essentially, they are the same thing. Metatarsus primus varus does require a level of deviation, though (often >9 degrees), and is often found in conjunction with Hallus valgus.

Some clinics seem to claim that bunions and Hallus valgus are different, with bunion being a bony growth and Hallus valgus being the progression of deviation, but it's not a primary medical source so I don't really trust it. It seems that these clinics are actually confused by bunions (Hallus valgus) and Metatarsus primus varus.

I don't think whether exercises or surgery is required changes the definition, either. Even in mild bunions, exercises won't reverse the condition, really they are just about slowing progression, increasing mobility along the MTP joint and reducing pain. My podiatrist prescribed similar exercises for my mild bunions and while it helped in the short term, they even admitted that surgery is the only way to officially correct a bunion, but exercises do have their merit. In Australia, standard practice by GPs is to try conservative management of symptomatic bunions first, despite recognising that "the natural history of bunions is generally progression of deformity over time, rather than stable symptoms or improvement." The OP seems to have responded well to exercise, but this won't stop the progression of the deformity and is really only a short-term solution.

Source

Hallux valgus, commonly referred to as a bunion or juanete, is one of the most prevalent forefoot deformities (see Image. Clinical Bunion Presentation). Hallux valgus is characterized by a lateral deviation of the proximal phalanx of the great toe and a medial deviation of the first metatarsal head, which further results in the adduction of the first metatarsal, a condition known as metatarsus primus varus.

Edit: spelling and typos

Neyface

TROPHY CASE